1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cover sheets for solar heat collectors, and other devices which have covers which must transmit radiant energy.
2. Prior Art
In the prior art various solar heat collectors have been advanced which utilize covers for transmitting solar energy to some type of an energy absorbing sheet that will be heated by the solar energy.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,801,701 shows an apparatus for utilizing solar energy which includes a plurality of elliptical cross section glass tubes that are held together with suitable fastener inserts to form a generally planar assembly. The assembly is placed over an energy absorbing material. The cover in this case transmits solar energy through the glass tubes, onto the energy absorbing material. The purpose of the assembly was for heating liquid such as for domestic power or warming purposes.
Tubes made of glass had to have support material between the individual tubes, and it appears quite difficult to support such tubes adequately.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,998 illustrates a solar water heater and chiller combination, which uses a pair of parallel panes of glass for insulation purposes, and which panes transmit solar energy into means for absorbing the solar energy.
Support clips for holding pieces of wallboard together are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,447, and such clips show receptacles for receiving bead members for retaining devices together.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,208 also shows a solar collector system which utilizes transparent glass panes arranged in a spaced apart relationship for insulation purposes for covering the collector itself. Additional devices which use covers that are spaced from the heat collector material include U.S. Pat. No. 3,072,920 which shows dead air spaces being formed above a swimming pool in a cover which transmits solar energy for heating the pool, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,174,915 which illustrates an air supported cover for a solar still.
Further U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,887 illustrates a solar heat collector utilizing a cover that is supported in a spaced relationship to the heat collecting medium.
None of these devices show an extruded plastic cover which can be made into individual modules and held together through suitable universal type support brackets so that the individual modules can be quickly assembled into a cover for a large solar heat collector.